This drawing of a mill on a peaceful stretch of the Stour, made in 1802, the year Constable first exhibited at the Royal Academy, received a new lease on life in 1810, when an engraving was made after it. Constable may have made an oil painting or watercolour after the drawing, but this has so far not been identified.
Physical description
Chalk and charcoal drawing of a mill on the banks of the River Stour. Part of the reflection of the mill may be seen in the calm water.
Place of Origin
Stour, England (drawn)
Date
03/10/1802 (drawn)
Artist/maker
John Constable, born 1776 - died 1837 (drawn by)
Materials and Techniques
Black chalk, charcoal and traces of red chalk on paper
Marks and inscriptions
'3 Octr. Noon 1802'
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm, Width: 298 mm
Object history note
An engraving (with slight variations) was made after this drawing by J. Ogborne and published by Thomas Thane in 1810. Inscribed 'J. Constable pinxt.', this may suggest that Constable made an oil painting or watercolour from the drawing.
Historical context note
In 1802, the year he made this drawing, Constable exhibited at the Royal Academy for the first time; the entry, listed as 'A Landscape' in the catalogue, has not yet been identified.
'Constable exhibited for the first time at the Royal Academy in 1802, his entry being called 'A Landscape'; this painting has not yet been identified. He visited Windsor in May (see Nos. 33-35), and was at East Bergholt in the summer and autumn.'
[G Reynolds]
Descriptive line
Drawing of a mill on the banks of the River Stour, by John Constable
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
G. Reynolds, Victoria and Albert Museum: Catalogue of the Constable Collection, pp. 46-47, no. 38.
The following is an extract from the text on the entry:
'Inscribed on the back in pencil by the artist 3 Octr. Noon 1802. This inscription is repeated in ink in another hand. The last figure in Constable's inscription might be read as '3', but the ink copy is clear. Mr. Harold Day has presented to the collections a hitherto unrecorded engraving of this composition, which he acquired at the sale of the contents of Kentwell Hall, Long Melford, 8 September 1970 (E. 1029-1970). It is lettered: A Mill on the Banks of the River Stour. J. Constable pinxt. J Osborne Fecit. Published by Thos. Thane 1810. There are slight variations from No. 38: a boat with figures has been added on the right, and the line of posts omitted at the bottom might suggest that Constable made an oil painting or watercolour from the drawing. John Hayes, in 'The Drawings of George Frost', Master Drawings, Vol. 4, No. 2, 1966, p. 167 and n. 34 refers to this drawing as being specially close to Frost in style.'
J. Hayes, 'The Drawings of George Frost', Master Drawings, vol. 4, no. 2, 1966, p. 167 and n. 34.
Hayes refers to this drawing as being especially close to Frost in style.
Parris, Leslie and Ian Fleming-Williams, Constable London : The Tate Gallery, 1991. ISBN 1854370707 / 1854370715. 544 p. : ill. (some col.).
Exhibition catalogue
Exhibition History
Constable (Tate 13/06/1991-15/09/1991)
Materials
Black chalk; Charcoal; Red chalk
Techniques
Drawing
Subjects depicted
Rivers; Mills; Stour
Categories
Drawings
Collection code
PDP
